Yale at Navy (Veterans Classic)
Friday, Nov. 7 – 8:30 p.m.
Alumni Hall
Annapolis, Md.
CBS Sports Network | Live Stats | Yale Game Notes | Navy Game Notes
 
NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Coming off a historic season, the Yale men's basketball team is set to open its 2025-26 campaign at the Veterans Classic against host Navy, on Friday, Nov. 7 at 8:30 p.m. on CBS Sports Network. The classic is held annually around Veterans Day to honor our nation's veterans and showcase the U.S. Naval Academy.

"Just like every team in the country we're extremely excited to have the playing season begin," said James Jones, the Joel E. Smilow '54 Head Coach of the Bulldogs. "We have a very deep and unselfish team and I'm looking forward to how we continue to grow and become more connected."
 
Bulldog Notes

• Yale had a stellar 2024-25 season, finishing with a remarkable 22-8 overall record, and a dominant 13-1 mark in Ivy League action.
• The Bulldogs went undefeated at home with a perfect 11-0 record and secured its fourth NCAA Tournament appearance in five years with a win over Cornell in the Ivy League Tournament Championship.
• Yale returns three starters that were in last season's starting lineup – Nick Townsend (15.4 ppg, 7.1 rpg), Casey Simmons (8.8 ppg, 4.6 rpg), and Samson Aletan (7.5 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 48 blocks)
• The Bulldogs welcome five first years to the roster for the season. Alvin Loving, Daniel Ogunyemi, Jack Sullivan, Jacob Tsai, and Courtney Wallace all bring strong credentials on and off the court and look to make their collegiate debuts.

 
Season Notes

• Yale was ranked No. 5 in the Preseason Mid Major Top 25 on Oct. 27.
• The Bulldogs were unanimously selected to finish first in the Ivy League Preseason Poll on Oct. 23.
• Townsend was tabbed to the Field of 68 Mid-Major Preseason All-American First Team on Oct. 10.
• Jones was appointed to the NABC Board of Directors on Sept. 3.

 
The Captain

• Jones announced in early May that Townsend will serve as the team's captain this season.
• Townsend is coming off an outstanding season that earned him First Team All-Ivy honors. He started in all 30 games, averaging 15.4 points per game, the second highest on the team.
• He also scored in double figures in 27 games and led the Ivy League with seven double doubles. Additionally, he led the team in rebounds, averaging 7.1 per game.
• Townsend's performance and leadership on and off the court also made him a finalist for the Nolan Richardson Award, which honors a Division I player who exemplifies heart and leadership, and the Lou Henson Award, presented annually to the top mid-major player in Division I men's basketball.

 
A Decade of Dominance

• Over the last 10 seasons, Yale has posted a 108-32 (.771) Ivy League record, won six Ivy championships, four Ivy League Tournament titles and earned five NCAA Tournament berths.
• Jones has been at the helm for the two NCAA Tournament victories in school history – upsets of Baylor in 2016 and Auburn in 2024.

 
Jones is Yale's Winningest Coach

• Jones is the winningest men's basketball head coach in school history and the second winningest coach in Ivy League history.
• He has guided the Bulldogs to seven Ivy League championships – 2002, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2020, 2023, 2025 – four Ivy League Tournament titles – 2019, 2022, 2024, 2025 - five NCAA Tournament berths – 2016, 2019, 2022, 2024, 2025 - and nine postseason appearances.

 
Scouting Navy

• The Midshipmen concluded the 2024–25 season with a 15–19 record and a 10–8 mark in Patriot League action.
• Navy fell to American University in the Patriot League Tournament by a score of 74–52.
• The team returns all five starters and nearly 90 percent of its scoring (87%), rebounds (88%), and assists (89%) from last season.
• The Midshipmen were picked to finish first in the Patriot League preseason poll, earning 79 points and receiving seven of 10 first-place votes.
• Austin Benigni was selected as the Patriot League Preseason Player of the Year. He earned First-Team All-League accolades last season when he led the league in scoring (18.8 ppg) and free-throw percentage (86.3%) and ranked second in assists (4.3 apg). He also scored in double figures in 31 of Navy's 34 games and posted at least 20 points in 15 games.

 
Up Next
The Bulldogs will remain on the road and face Quinnipiac on Tuesday, Nov. 11. Tip-off is slated for 7:30 p.m.